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Rice University Athletics
Remembering Joe Watson
12/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 5, 2006
As they begin preparations for their first bowl game in 45 years, the Rice Owls football family also salutes the memory of one of their greatest players who led the Owls to a win in the Cotton Bowl in 1950, Joe Watson.
Watson, who passed away last month at the age of 81, earned All American honors in 1949 and won the George Martin Award as the Owls MVP. He was a three-time, All-SWC selection in his career.
The 2006 Owls enter the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl with a six-game winning streak, the longest in school history since Watson's 1949 Owls won eight straight after splitting the first two games of the year. Those Owls then went on to beat North Carolina 27-13 in the Cotton Bowl to finish the season 10-1 and ranked fifth in the nation.
After completing his playing career, Watson, who came to Rice after serving with the Army Air Corps in World War II, spent 37 years as sales engineer for Gulf Oil and Chevron and was an active leader with the Boy Scouts. He was awarded the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame and Distinguished R Man Award in 1973.
